Improvement in blind-slat retainers



T. OREGAN. Blind-Slat Retainer.

No. 208,691. Patented Oct. 8, 1878..

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEroE.

TIMOTHY CREGAN, OF WILLIMANTIC, CONNECTICUT.

IMPROVEMENT IN BLIND-SLAT RETAINERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 208,691, dated Octoberti. 1879; application filed July 29, 1979.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, TIMOTHY OREGAN, of Villimantic, in the county otWindham and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements pertaining to a Blind-Slat Retainer, of which the followingis a specication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,wherein- Figure 1 is a front view. Fig. 2 is a side view of the blindanedge view.

The invention is an improvement in that class of devices used to retainblind-slats in any desired position of adjustment; and consists in aconstruction of parts whereby simplicity, cheapness, and efficiency areattained.

It has been found necessary heretofore, in devices of this kind, wherethe slat-rod and blind-frame were directly connected, that some kind ofa joint should be made use of in the connecting and adjusting device tocompensate for the rotary movement of the slats. This was a source ofadditional cost, and ren dered the device more or less complicated andcumbersome.

In my device I avoid all of these undesirable features by omitting thisjoint and substitutin g an inandout right-angle movement. This movementhas all the ease of manipulation of the old devices and the additionaladvantage of great cheapness and simplicity.

The letter a denotes the blind-frame; b, the pivoted andpartially-rotatin g slats, and c the slat-rod, loosely jointed to allthe slats. To this slat-rod are attached two or more eyes, d, in whichlies the ratch-bar e, in such shape that the eyes have longitudinal playon the ratch-bar. This ratch-bar turns an elbow or angle at the bottom,and runs into an orice, f, made in the frame a, in such shape that theIratch-bar can play back and forth toward and from the face of the blind.

As a modification, the horizontal part of the ratch-bar may run througheyes attached to the top of the bottom bar of the blind-frame. Theratch-bar bears a ratch, e', 011 the side, and the slat-rod bears on theside a springpawl, g, taking into the ratch, and thereby holding the rodand the slats in the desired position of adjustment. The position of thespring-pawl attains and gives a great convenience in manipulation. Bygrasping the slatrod and springpawl between the thumb and rst iin ger,the hold of the spring-pawl on the ratch is broken, and immediate] y,and without shifting the grasp, the slats can be manipulated to thedesired adjustment; and on letting' go, the spring-paul flies toengagement with the ratch, and holds the slats to position.

I claim as my invention- The frame a, bearing the oricef, the rotaryslats b, the Slat-rod c, bearing on its side the eyes cl and thespring-pawl g, and the ratch,A bar e, sliding in the eyes d, and itselbowed foot sliding in the orifice j', all combined as described, forthe purpose set forth.

TIMOTHY OREGAN.

Witnesses:

JN0. L. HUNTER, C. A. CoMrNs.

